The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-30
THE WORK OF DEMONS.
Particulars of the Fire at Walhalla.
Special to atlanta Constitution.


WESTMINSTER, S. c., June "a
The incendiary fire which was report
ed from Walhalla, S. c., in the dis.
patches seems to have been the
crowning act in a series of diabolical
outrages which have been perpetrated
against the good people Of that quiet
village for the past several years.
The people of Walhalla and Of West
Union also, which is really part
of the first named town, though under
separate incorporation, have been
annoyed from time TO time by the post
ing upon the premises Of the lead
ing citizens Of anonymous notices,
containing scurrillous and obscene
language rejecting upo1 the good
name Of the inmates Of different
households. These occasional notices
had been treated with Indifference or
contempt until last Friday the 18th,
when their authors became so bold in
their devilish designs of defaming the
character of virtuous people that
matters reached a crisis.
During the night previous, num-
Der of anonymous notices, in the
same handwriting as all former ones,
were posted in several public places
in Walhalla and West Union. These
notices contained the names Of the
wives and daughters of many of the
purest and best families Of the two
towns, and were so full of obscenity
and vulgarity as to cause the vilest
blackguard to blush with shame.
Such insults had now become too
numerous and too public to be borne,
and the people. aroused with indigna'
tion, resolved to stop them. Suspl'
cion had already marked out the
guilty ones, and the discovery Of a
pocket book near where one of the
notices was posted, led to the issuing
of warrants for L. X. Hunter, Walter
Hodges and Saddler, all OF West
Union. 4 number of others were
suspected, some of them of highly
respectable family connection. A
little village was perhaps never SO
thoroughly aroused with indignation
as was Walhalla and West Union.
The pent up wrath of long suffering
people had burst forth in the widest
fury. THUS stood matters on Mon
day night, when the people retired to
rest, little dreaming that to the un-
hallowed defamation of their charac'
ters would be added an effort to burn
up their property. Such was the
case, however. as was reported in the
Constitution. The loss by the fire is
now known to be more serious than
was first believed. In addition to
the entire outfit Of the Keowee Courier
Office, the law libraries of Thompson
& Jaynes and Keith & Werner were a
complete loss. Among these were
many valuable law books difficult to
be replaced at any cost. John s.
Werner, of the firm of Keith & Werner,
was clerk of the board of county
commissioners and with his office
were destroyed nearly all the county
records. Many important papers
pertaining to unsettled estates, which
are usually kept in the county clerks s
safe, we're in the different law offices
undergoing preparations for court,
which convenes at Walhalla next
week.
The destruction of these will cause
much trouble. The courthouse square
with it's pleasant grove and comforta'
BILE Offices, now presents forbidding
appearance with its charred ruins
and bIackened shade trees. Only
two buildings remain, the courthouse
and law Office of Judge Norton q
Stribling.
Hunter, Saddler and Hodges are
in jail on the charge of posting the
notices, but no direct evidence to con
vict them with the burning has yet
been developed. The prisoners OF
their friends telegraphed yesterday to
Colonel Geo. Johnstone, lawyer OF
Newberry, to come to their assistance
Colonel Jchnstone arrived in the
evening and called on the prisoners
al the Jail, and informed them that II
after investigating the case lie found
reasonable evidence of their guilt, be
should leave them to their fate.
ANOTHER ARREST-A PARSONS son
IN THE TOLLS.